


Krystal, Not Beth

by thecountjess



Category: Orphan Black (TV)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-28
Updated: 2017-09-06
Packaged: 2018-12-21 03:35:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11935488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thecountjess/pseuds/thecountjess
Summary: While Sarah Manning thought it had been Beth Childs that stepped off the train platform in front of a moving train, the detective was watching closely from outside the station. Now not being able to be herself, Beth creates a new identity: Krystal Goderitch. (Mostly just a story about Beth "turning into" Krystal). Based off a theory created by @clonepatronus on Twitter.





	1. Nightly Connections

**Author's Note:**

> I'll only write how and why Beth created the fake identity, most likely. I hope you guys enjoy, and if you'd like please leave comments/kudos as to what you'd like to see next and I might try to work it in. <3

Beth's sleepy face illuminated as a car drove by her apartment. She was seated in the dark, one knee against her chest while the other leg dangled inches above the floor. The thumb of her right hand was tracing circles around her glass of wine while her gaze was lost, staring into nothing. She'd been home for hours now, still dressed in her suit from work, but her shirt was unbuttoned revealing the black sports bra she preferred to wear while on duty. She lifted the glass to her lips and breathed in the spicy smell of the red before downing the last of her drink. Rubbing her temple with her free hand Beth closed her eyes for a moment, letting the pure darkness set in.

She found comfort in the nighttime. No one could see her in the stillness of the night and it allowed her heart rate to drop to a soothing tempo. Her line of work constantly gave her a rush, and while it was something that she seeked to keep her busy mind distracted she often found herself lounging around the apartment in the early hours of the morning to relax.

When she opened her eyes a light behind her had been turned on. She moved her head far enough to see which room it was coming from. Beth pushed the glass further down the table and ran her left hand through her hair as a mans figure walked towards her from the bathroom.

"You're out here again?" A husky voice asked. "It's two in the morning, babe."

Something about that word sent a small shudder down her spine. _Babe_. As if he actually cared about or loved her. They had grown distant towards each other over the last few months after she'd accused him of spying on her, and he argued she was just being paranoid from all the medication. To Beth all the love they had was built on lies in order for him to give information to some source she didn't know about. Neolution, maybe. But perhaps something bigger than that. For a while she played coy and fed him false kisses and affection, but he quickly picked out the cold gaze behind her eyes whenever he touched her. The tension grew between them and soon the cooked meals, small gifts, and uncomfortable lingerie weren't enough to keep either of them satisfied.

To be completely honest, Beth didn't know why she was still with Paul. Part of her said it’s because she knew he was watching her and she'd rather have a familiar face under her nose, but another part of her yearned for the presence of someone around her so she wouldn't lose her mind.

It didn't matter if he couldn't look her in the eyes when he talked. If he could just put his hands on her body every now and then to make her feel real she'd take it. Even if it was a lie. She could close her eyes and pretend it was someone else's body on top of hers. Yet sometimes the imagination wasn't enough and the deceit overcame her causing her temper to flare up in tears or, at times, fist-pounding anger.

"Yeah," Beth said, looking down at the boots she kicked off before settling in her seat hours ago. "I came home late and didn't want to wake you."

"Come to bed," he whispered to her after placing a hand on her shoulder.

 _For what?_ she thought. _So I could lay next to you and still have the bed feel empty?_

"Come," Paul repeated to her.

Beth didn't turn to see her boyfriend. She lifted her head and stared straight. "I'll be there in a minute."

The hand that was resting on her shoulder retracted after a few seconds and light footsteps were heard leading back to the bedroom. The night fell still again. Beth sat there momentarily enjoying the silence Paul had interrupted before getting off the chair and hiding herself in the bathroom.

She locked the door behind her and let the water run in the shower to muffle anything Paul could hear. She peeled off her jacket, then her blouse, slid off her black pants, and stood in her underwear for a few seconds looking down at the old scars that scattered across her upper thighs. The marks were a reminder of her past. Of how she chose to deal with emotional and sexual abuse by her adoptive father when the antidepressants and antianxiety pills weren't enough to make her feel level. When she grew old enough she traded in the blades for alcohol and medication - both over the counter and prescribed by a doctor.

Her gaze met her own in the reflection of the mirror and she examined her face closely. Her eyes looked droopy from the alcohol and lack of sleep, but something behind them screamed unspeakable things she could never push herself to say out loud. She was fighting her own demons, as well as other peoples, and if she were a normal person she probably would've cracked by now. But Beth was strong. She kept pushing forward no matter what.

Taking one more look at herself she exhaled loudly and opened the cabinet behind the mirror. Her fingers grazed across the top of each bottle before she picked one and shook it. Nothing inside of it rattled. It was empty. _God damn it,_ she thought to herself, then tossed the bottle in the trash can next to the toilet. Tapping her fingers against the counter, she decided to take a different bottle, opened it, and downed two pills. Beth knows she's not supposed to mix pills with alcohol, but having done it since she was in her late teens she'd become pretty immune to the side effects. She placed the small container back into the cabinet and freed herself of her remaining garments.

Stepping into the shower, Beth let the cold water fall onto her delicate skin. The freezing temperature of the water allowed her tense muscles to relax, and she was able to breathe easily. She doesn't know how long she'd been standing under the water with her eyes closed, but they fluttered open when she heard her phone ringing from her bag in the kitchen. Shutting off the water she quickly wrapped herself in a towel, wiped her feet on the bathmat and half-sprinted to answer the call. She dug for her phone, and found it right before the ringing ended.

Baffled by the blocked number, she answered the phone as if it were a work call. "Detective Childs."

"Beth, you need to come over," a woman's voice answered her.

"MK? Why're you calling with a private number?"

"They can't know we're in contact. Please, just come now. Don't take your car."

Emerging from the bedroom Paul leaned against the door. "Who's that?"

"No one," Beth said, almost coldly. Tiptoeing back into the bathroom she didn't speak into the phone until the door was shut. "What is this about?" she asked MK.

"Sarah Manning. I found her."

Taken back by the name Beth remained speechless for a moment. "I'll be right over, Mika. Try not to have me speaking to a screen again, yeah? I'd like to see your face in person more."

"Okay. I'll make us some iced tea."

Beth could hear the uncertainty in MK's voice, but she didn't want to drive twenty minutes away only to talk to a woman wearing a mask through a screen. If she wanted to, she could do that from home.

Hanging up the phone, Beth piled her work clothes into her arms, entered the bedroom and went into her closet. She threw her previous attire onto the floor and pulled out a clean suit and blouse from the rack. She dropped her towel, quickly got dressed, and tied her wet hair into a ponytail. Not seeing her boots, she remembered them being under the dining table and headed out of the room. She sat in the same chair she'd just been drinking in and wriggled on her boots, then proceeded to stuff her phone and house keys into her purse.

"Where are you going?" Paul asked, getting off the couch to walk towards Beth.

"Work called."

He stood directly in front of her, his body inches away from hers. "You're always working."

"People are always doing dumb shit," she replied.

His hand slithered gently behind her neck and the cop clenched her jaw tightly as he leaned in to kiss the space of her cheek directly next to her lips.

Releasing his hand from her neck she furrowed her eyebrows. "I need to leave." Paul moved out of her way, and ignoring what MK told her she took her car keys from the table near the entrance and was quickly out the door.


	2. Feather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MK gives Beth information on Sarah's arrival.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long delay. I wanted to upload this earlier but fell sick for a few days and couldn't get myself to write or edit until last night. Hope you enjoy!!

* * *

Slipping into her car Beth threw her purse onto the passenger seat and hesitated when turning on the ignition. She knew better than to drink and drive, especially when sleep deprived. Maybe she could walk to MK's, or even take the bus, yet something in her gave her the green light to go when she heard the roar of the engine. The drive would take longer if she'd drive cautiously, but Beth wanted to be safe.

Turning off the headlights as she approached the block MK's trailer was on Beth parked a few cars down from the park's entrance. Eyeing the streets for people she waited until the hum of the ignition melted into the silence of the outside. While choosing to live in a secluded part of town had its benefits for MK, like cops rarely patrolling the small area, most of the time the police weren't called for robberies, shootings, or assaults. The people would rather keep their privacy over wandering officers checking them out a few times a week. Watching for pedestrians was a way of ensuring Beth wouldn't get mugged. Usually she'd be able to handle herself, but being up for nearly twenty five hours, on top of the slight buzz she felt from her three cups of wine, made fighting off a perp seem almost impossible.

She eyed the compartment in front of the passenger seat then reached to open it, and her chest heaved as Feather stared back at her. Art had playfully named Beth's gun "Feather" because she removed the gun from her holster with such delicate motions that it reminded him of a bird in flight. The name almost made her sick now, especially when she thought back to the swiftness that had overcame her when she fired her weapon at Maggie Chen, but she had to suck it up if she wanted to continue as a detective. Her fingers wrapped around the handle of the gun and after checking if the safety was on she carefully stuck it in the space between her shirt and the back of her pants.

Swinging her bag on her shoulder she closed her car door gently and clicked the button, jumping at the beeping sound that signified the car was locked. She sighed and trailed on slowly, hoping MK was playing music or video games or doing anything that might have blocked out that noise.

MK had plastered layers of paper and cardboard against the windows of her trailer to keep the light from escaping, yet Beth's keen eyes detected any small ray of light coming from her home. She'd been around enough to learn where there were tiny rips in the material, but never addressed them to her friend so she would know if anyone was in there. MK feared the outside world and only left when she felt she was being watched, or if she wanted to meet Beth through video chat in a different location. She could see Beth through the security cameras, and Beth could only hear her over the phone. Knowing Mika rarely left her home she would drop off supplies for her: food, drinks, clothes, or whatever Beth thought she needed but never mentioned.

With each step that brought Beth closer to the trailer she could feel her stomach drop. There wasn't any light shining through the crack of the paper, instead a mask hung on the door. Her pace grew quicker, every foot hitting the ground desperately saying _no, no, no_. She knew this might happen because of Mika's paranoia since Helinski, but she's never denied Beth's request to meet face to face. She was so sure she wouldn't run away this time. She picked up the fox mask and opened the door.

"Fucking hell, Mika," Beth whispered under her breath while making a round of the small space. "You couldn't wait ten minutes."

Already turning on her heel, Beth was ready to take a step back to the dirt road when her arm made an instinctive move to grab her gun. She held it close, hopped off the trailer, and pointed the loaded weapon at a figure standing ten feet away from her.

"Beth!" MK yelled, taking off her lamb mask. It dangled around her wrist while she raised her arms to chest level. "Please. Put it down. It's just me."

"Mika, you can't creep around like that. I could've shot you!" A long exhale of relief came out of her chest as she held the gun at her side, her hand shaking enough for MK to notice.

Beth hadn't used her firearm since the night she killed Maggie Chen. MK wanted to help Beth heal, but Beth was stubborn and always told her she had it under control. The both of them knew it was a lie, but she had no friends. If she lost Beth she would have no one, so she chose to ignore the hand.

"I heard the car beep and thought it was trouble. I wanted to run but I stayed to see if it was you. 

"Well, I'm glad you didn't. I thought I was gonna have to hunt for you," Beth joked, then returned to MK's place.

"I told you not to bring your car," MK mentioned, closing the door behind them and then flipped the switch to turn on the dim lights.

"Couldn't help myself," she replied, slinking down onto the couch. "I wasn't followed. I know that's what you're worried about. Nobody's gonna care what I'm doing at the district. They took me off my case and have me filing paperwork at my desk. Makes them think I won't fuck anything else up."

MK handed her iced tea she was keeping cold in the fridge, and went to the desk on the other side of the room. She rummaged through a bin to find a paper and pen, and her hand quickly swiveled and clicked on the finger pad of her laptop. The other hand was concentrated on writing something down.

Beth was too exhausted to ask what she was doing and figured she'd tell her once she was done. Taking a sip of her iced tea, she grew curious. How did MK find Sarah Manning so easily? Before she could create a second thought, MK closed her laptop and sat on the floor in front of Beth. She handed her the note she had written and rested her chin on Beth's knee.

_Huxley Station, November 23rd, 2012. Platform entrance 26._

The cop's eyes narrowed in confusion. "What is this?"

"Sarah Manning. She'll be here soon."

"That's in a few days. What am I supposed to do? Put her in a body bag on the platform and hope for the best?"

MK cocked her head and Beth's knee swayed along with it. "I don't know, but I know you will think of a plan."

"How did you even find this? How did you find her?"

"Fingerprints."

"You found her fingerprints?"

"No, _ours._ We're clones. Everything about us is the same, except for the way we turned out because of nurture. I hacked into police records with my prints, hoping maybe she had a committed a crime, and she came up." She reached for a stack of papers with Sarah's mugshot plastered on the first page. "See?"

Beth took the paper and scanned them. "Theft of under $1000, assault with no weapon, and vagrancy," she read aloud.

"And I went from there. I hacked into her phone to check her messages and emails and I saw a ticket for the train heading here. I didn't want to contact her. You would be a better person to do that. You know how to handle people."

 _Cop meets criminal_ , Beth thought to herself. They had to meet in person, but what if seeing an enforcement of the law freaked her out? Or worse, what if seeing the same face in front of hers made her run for the hills? Beth could tell Sarah was a runner by her crimes, and the way she dressed. It looked like she carried her entire world on her back and crashed on a friend's couch every now and then when it was too cold to be out on the streets. Or maybe she had changed since her last arrest in 2010. There was only one way to find out.

"Do you know why she's coming to Toronto?" Beth asked.

"She has a child. Kira. I can get you the address of her daught-" 

"No," Beth cut her off. "I don't want to include a kid in this shit show. This is our fight, and if Sarah doesn't want to join us - then I guess it's just gonna be us, Alison, Katja, and Cosima.

"What will you say to Sarah?"

"Like you said, I'll think of something." She rose from her seat and bent a knee to hug MK tightly, still holding Sarah's files and the note her friend had written. "Thank you for this, Mika. We need more of us to take down Neolution. I couldn't do it without you. We couldn't do any of it without you."

MK smiled and watched as Beth exited her mobile home. The cold air hit Beth, and she fastened her pace to keep warm. When back in her car she popped two pills she kept in her purse and rubbed her hands together to make them warm again. Feather returned to her compartment and the papers covered the gun.

Closing her eyes briefly, she was awoken to daylight and Art tapping at her window.

"What the hell, Beth?" she could hear through the glass.

She unlocked her car and stepped out, eyes still getting used to the brightness of the morning. "Hey, Art," she said pushing a smile that turned into a little yawn. "What's up?"

"I called you. Paul called you. I had to trace your phone to make sure nothing happened to you."

"Yeah, well, I'm fine so stop worrying, dipshit." She punched his shoulder playfully.

Art looked around. "Why are you here? Are you making deals?"

"No, I told you I wasn't doing that anymore," Beth lied. "Why are you here?"

"Cause we need you."

"For what? Are they putting me on a case? Are they giving me my case back?"

"They don't trust you anymore, Beth. The department needs you to file papers and make sure information is accurate."

"Great," she said while climbing into her car. "I'll race you back to the district, huh, Art?" Not waiting for an answer she closed the door, put on her sunglasses, and sped off as soon as the engine was on.


End file.
